Meter hanger



April 21, 1931- J. T. SUTLIFF" 1,801,376

" METERHANGER Filed Dec. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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METER HANGER Filed Dec. 3, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I'IIIIIIII Z5 3min! famw r 501m:

attozwup Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES JAMES T. SU'ILIFF, F

PATENT OFFICE DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO MUELLER 00., O! DECATUR, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS METER HANGER Application filed December 3, 1927. Serial No. 287,540.

The present invention relates to hangers and more particularly to improvements in meter hangers and their associated parts.

An essential feature of the invention is to provide a hanger having a valve casing incorporated therein for controlling the inlet supply to a meter or the like and which may also have an outlet passage for conducting the supply from the meter to any suitable point of use.

A further feature is to provide a ground key valve casing with means associated with the valve actuating member so as to erform the dual function of maintaining t e valve in proper close contact with the casing and also to act as a yieldable washer for the actuating member.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a simple, efiioient and economical meter hanger construction in which the various parts may be readily assembled or dismantled for the purposecof inspection or renewal.

Referring to the drawings in which is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention: Fi ure 1 is a front elevation of a meter showing the hanger and its associated parts connected thereto. Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 2 but with the operating handle moved to the closed position. t Figure 5 is a sectional detailed view of the ground key valve.

Referring to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts in the various views, 10 denotes a hanger which preferably has adjacent one end an integral valve casing 11 and which may be provided at its opposite extremity with an enlarged tubular boss 12 (Fig. 3) having a vertical passage 13 the ends of which are interiorly threaded as at 14 and 15 for connection with suitable outlet supply pipes.

The valve casing 11 is preferably formed with an axial through bore 16 and a transverse or lateral outlet nipple 17 in one side thereof. An inlet supply pipe 18 (Fig. 2) communicates with the bore 16 and is connected to the-casing 11 by a threaded tailpiece 19 and the couplin nut 20 which is secured to the exterior o the casing in the manner as shown in Figure 4. Preferably, a washer 21 is interposed between the adjacent ends of the casing and the tailpiece 19 so as to provide a tight joint when the parts are set up.

For controlling the supply from the in let pipe 18 to the outlet nipple 17 there is pre erably provided a key valve 22 revolubly mounted in the bore 16 of the casing. The valve 22 is formed with a hollow recess 23 which directly communicates at one end with the inlet pipe 18 and has an opening 24 in the side wall thereof arranged to register the-valve casing 11. An operating handle 28 is provided at one end with a complementary squared opening 29 arranged to engage the portion 26' for causing the actuating of the valve 22. Obviously, the portion 26 may be of any suitable polygonal shape so as to interlock with the handle 28. The threaded portion 26 of the valve stem extends outwardly beyond the handle 28 and has connected thereto a nut 31 for detachably maintaining the parts in proper fixed position.

In order to maintain the valve 22 in close contact with the interior of the casing 11 and also to provide a yieldable tensioning means for insuring the proper operation of the handle 28, a coil spring 32 preferably surrounds the squared portion 26 of the valve stem and is confined between the outer ends i of the casing and the opposed surface of the operating handle 28 as clearly shown in Figure 4.

The outlet nipple 17 of the casing is connected to a meter or the like 33 b a pi e 34. After the supply has passed t roug the meter 33'it is conducted to the outlet pi 35 which is threaded to the lower end 0 the boss 12 and delivered through the passage 13 to a pipe 36 and conducted to any suitable point of use. The pi es or meter couplings 34 and 35 are prefcrrlily bent or oilset as at 34' and 35. (Fig. 1) so as to register with the coupling connections 33 on the meter 33.

As shown in Fi ure 1 the handle 28 is in the open position and the opening 24 is in registration with the outlet nipple 17 so that the supply will pass through the casing and be conducted by the pipe 3% to the meter 33 from where it is delivered by the pipe through the passage 13 of the hanger to the outlet sup ly pipe 36. As shown in Figure 4 the handle 28 has moved the valve 22 to the closed position, that is to say, the opening 24 is out of alignment with the outlet 17 and consequently the suppl is turned off.

The valve casing 11 is prefiirablv formed with a lateral lug or ear 37 which has an opening 38 arranged to register with a complementary formed opening 39 in the handle 28, so that when the valve is closed these openings will be in alignment with each other and a lock or seal can be inserted therethrough for securing the parts in locked position to prevent unauthorized or malicious tampering with the valve.

meters having at one end an outlet passage and at the other end an L-shaped inlet passage, said inlet passage comprising an elongated horizontal tapered portion in the same horizontal plane as the hanger and communicating with a fluid supply pipe, and a shorter vertical portion communicating with the meter, and a hollow tapered valve longitudinally disposed in said tapered horizontal portion and controlling the passage of fluid. to the meter and directly subjected to fluid pressure whereby the valve is at all times seated in the tapered horizontal passage. combination, a meter hanger for fluid meters having at one end an outlet passage and at the other end an inlet passage, said inlet having an elongated tapered horizontal portion in the same horizontal plane as the anger and communicating with a fluid sup: ply pipe and a shorter vertical portion communicating with the meter, and a tapered hollow valve closed at one end and having an opening extending at right angles to the valve and communicating with the said shorter vertical portion of the inlet in the open position of the valve, said valve bein longitudinally disposed entirely in said horizontal portion of the inlet for controlling passage of fluid to the meter, and the closed end of the valve being at all times directly subjected to fluid pressure from the supply pipe to seat the tapered valve tightly in the tapered horizontal passage and prevent leakage.

3. In combination, a meter hanger for fluid meters having at one end an outlet passage and at the other end an inlet passage, said inlet having an elongated tapered horizontal portion in the same horizontal plane as the hanger and communicating with a fluid supply pipe and a shorter vertical portion communicating with the meter, and a tapered hollow valve closed at one end and having an opening extending at right angles to the valve and communicating with the said shorter vertical portion of the inlet in the open position of the valve, said valve being longitudinally disposed entirely in said horizontal portion of the inlet for controlling passage of fluid to the meter, and the closed end of the valve being at all times directly subjected to fluid pressure from the supply pipe to seat the tapered valve tightly in the tapered horizontal passage and prevent leakage, a handle for operating the valve, and a spring bearing upon the wall of the horizontal passage and the said handle, whereby the handle acts as a thrust for the spring which serves to supplement the fluid pressure in causing the valve to be always tightly seated and prevent leakage.

4. In combination, ameter hanger for fluid meters having at one end an outlet passage and at the other end an inlet passage, said inlet having an elongated tapered horizontal portion in the same horizontal plane as the ianger and communicating with a fluid supply pipe and a shorter vertical portion communicating with the meter, and adapered hollow valve closed at one end and having an opening extending at right angles to the valve and communicating with the said shorter vertical portion of the inlet in the open position of the valve, said valve being longitudinally disposed entirely in said horizontal portion of the inlet for controlling passage of fluid to the meter, and the closed end of the valve being at all times directly subjected to fluid pressure from the supply pipe to seat the tapered valve tightly in the tapered horizontal passage and prevent leakage, a handle for operating the valve, and a spring bearing upon the wall of the horizontal passage and the said handle, whereby the handle acts as a thrust for the spring which serves to sup plement the fluid pressure in causing the valve to always be tightly seated and prevent leakage, said handle having an ofiset handle portion provided with an opening, and the said horizontal wall of the inlet having a rojection provided with an opening, the sai openings being in ali ent when the valve is closed and adapte to receive a suitable looking means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES T. SUTLIFF. 

